LAS VEGAS – Reigning PFL lightweight tournament champion Natan Schulte continued his quest to become a two-time PFL champ after tearing through the opposition at the at the PFL 2019: Playoffs 2 event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Schulte (19-3-1) needed less than nine minutes total fighting time to secure two stoppage wins and punch his ticket to the New Year’s Eve finale at Madison Square Garden.
Schulte submitted Ramsey Nijem via rear-naked choke after just 52 seconds in a wild, but short, quarterfinal matchup. The Brazilian then moved on to defeat Akhmed Aliev, who held the clear edge in the stand-up exchanges between the two. But Schulte adjusted his game, took his man to the mat in the second round, then finished him with a tight arm-triangle choke.
Chatting to reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after his two wins, the defending champion declared himself satisfied with his night’s work.
Speaking through an interpreter, Schulte said: “I’m extremely happy with my performance. I could listen to everything my coaches were telling me. I trained a lot to make this happen and leave no doubt who’s the best. I’m really happy.
“I want to make history here in the PFL. Obviously, I did by being the first lightweight champion. I want to continue what I’m hoping to do to be the second season lightweight champion again. I just want to make history here.”
Schulte submitted Nijem inside the opening minute of their quarterfinal matchup to set up a semifinal clash with dangerous striker Aliev. And while he was comprehensively outstruck by the Russian, Schulte was able to find a path to victory via his grappling.
“I always knew he was going to be one of my toughest challenges,” he admitted. “I knew he was a very dangerous and very good striker. He took me down pretty nicely, but I was calm enough to be able to revert, get the takedowns on my own, and listen to my jiu-jitsu coaches who told me to go to the kata-gatame. So I’m really proud of myself that I could get out of that adversity and finish the fight the way I did.”
There were high expectations of a potential final matchup between Schulte and former foe Chris Wade, with the pair battling all the way to a split decision in last season’s semifinals. But Wade lost out to Loik Radzhabov in the night’s other semifinal, meaning Schulte will now face the Tajikistan fighter in the season finale in New York City.
The 27-year-old said he wasn’t preoccupied with who he might be facing in the final. He’ll just be ready, regardless.
“It doesn’t really matter to me,” he said. “I need to be focused on my next opponent. I need to be focused on whoever makes the final. It would be this guy or Loik. I’m going to be prepared for New York City.”
PFL 2019, Playoffs 2: Natan Schulte happy to 'leave no doubt who's best' ahead of New York finale